Model Home by Rivers Solomon
MCD (October 2024)
Reviewed by Chandra Claypool (Instagram) (TikTok)
I don’t even know where to start with this one! I decided to go with audio on this one and I’m glad I did as the narrator, Gabby Beans, was FANTASTIC. As the first sentence of the synopsis states: “Welcome to Rivers Solomon’s dark and wondrous Model Home, a new kind of haunted-house novel.” And that, it surely is!
“Rivers Solomon turns the haunted-house story on its head, unearthing the dark legacies of segregation and racism in the suburban American South. Unbridled, raw, and daring, Model Home is the story of secret histories uncovered, and of a queer family battling for their right to live, grieve, and heal amid the terrors of contemporary American life.”
I mean, I really can’t say much more than what the above says. It is all of that.. and more. You really should just go into this knowing as little as possible. I do feel this is a love it or don’t kind of read. And to be quite honest, I’m not sure where I stand. It’s bleak and harrowing and touches on a variety of important topics. Gender fluidity/transness, racism, generational trauma, complex family dynamics, classism. I felt like I was locked into a fever dream and at some points, was fighting to wake up. I say that in the best way possible.
If I was a person to write down quotes, there are so many from this read I would have jotted down. Solomon writes so beautifully. At times it seems very poetic and other times more of a straight narrative. This was *slightly* off-putting at times as lyrical prose can cause my eye to twitch at times, and yet I’m drawn in by the beauty it flourishes inside of my head. I’m a reader who prefers the straight narrative without the fluff. But like with books, my reading style is also evolving and it mostly worked for me with Model Home.
I felt so much for our main character, Ezrl. Her family is the only black family in an affluent, white neighborhood and not once do they ever feel like they are on the inside. As kids, Ezrl and their siblings felt the house was haunted but alas, no one will believe them. Are there sinister forces presents? Are they possessing the children? Could there possibly be something more disturbing than the humans within? When we do finally get some answers, it felt like a punch in the gut. Abrupt and unexpected, it felt sharper than the somewhat smooth buildup we were given.
A very thought-provoking read that won’t be for everyone, but will make a strong impact regardless of how you end up feeling about the book overall. This isn’t only about a haunted house, but about haunted people. If you love literary horror with a non-linear narrative that tackles strong themes, snag this one immediately.
